Devon wrote:My bet is that the government hires "villains" to keep "heroes" busy. Real superpowered or super-intelligent villains probably are smart enough to keep a low profile and don't dress themselves in flashy uniforms or pick stupid knicknames, so the government produces comic-like fake villains to keep super-powered wannabe "heroes" busy, so they don't get weird ideas like getting into politics...
that is brilliant.
Yea, If the "heroes" didn't have supervillains to fight, they would easily start discussing social issues among themselves... then they will start doing things about it.
The trouble "super-heroes" could provoke without the distraction provided by villains is mind-boggling:
-Hero A, who is really devout wants to outlaw abortion, stop Darwin's theory of the Origin of Species being taught at public schools and wants all those schools to celebrate a religous service for all pupils on Sundays. And he's willing to go so far as he needs to get his goals.
-Hero B want to protect religious freedom and to keep the separation between Church and State, and is going to fight Hero A on the streets.
-Hero C wants to kill all drug trafficckers, even those who sell just marijuana.
-Hero D wants marijuana to be legalized and likes to smoke it in public. Hero C and Hero D hate each other and fight on the streets.
-Hero E wants to destroy Al Qaeda, Hamas, Isis, Front Islamique du Djihad Armé and Boko Haram, and of course, he hates Hero F.
-Hero F wants to protect Palestinians against Israel, and of course, he hates Hero E.
-Hero G wants to punish bankers for the Great Crisis.
-Hero H wants to destroy Communism, and he's Hero G arch-enemy.
...etc.
How to avoid all that trouble? By creating moustache-twirling obvious villains who will attract "heroes" like a light bulb attracts moths.